This non provisional application claims the benefit of French Application No. 04 50104 filed on Jan. 20, 2004 and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/542,863 filed on Feb. 10, 2004, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein.
The present invention relates to packaging and applicator devices, for packaging and applying a liquid, such as, for example, a hair coloring substance, which results from mixing first and second separately-packaged substances.
Japanese patent application No. 2002-179118 describes a packaging and applicator device comprising an applicator and a receptacle in which a stopper is disposed separating two compartments for storing two substances for mixing together extemporaneously. The stopper may be moved from a closing position while the two substances are being mixed. Such a device is relatively complex in structure.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,573,506 and 5,540,654 describe other devices for separately packaging two substances for mixing together extemporaneously. Those devices are not designed for a cosmetic use of the mixture, such as, for example, by applying the mixture to the hair.
Existing packaging and applicator devices are described in GB patent No. 7071, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,926,374, 3,178,755, 4,690,579 and 5,345,981. Each of said devices comprise a receptacle that contains the supply of a substance for application and an applicator provided with an inside channel that communicates with a secondary reservoir enabling the substance to be drawn from the receptacle.